PENWOMEN'S CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 22

PENWOMEN'S CLUB.

"Books and Art in America" was the title of an address given by Mr. J. Barr to the Penwomen's Club on Friday afternoon. Mr. Barr dealt mainly with American institutions of art and literature. Industrialism, lie said, had affected America more than any other country in the world and it had no background in art and literature such as was possessed by other countries. The first thing that impressed the visitor concerning the libraries and museums was the enormous size of the buildings in all tho large cities. Floodlighting was employed and as the facades were frequently in colour the effect was beautiful. In the larger museums the collections were housed in period rooms and the visitor could go from room to room in chronological order, the exhibits being related as in living conditions. The Huntingdon Art Gallery contained the finest collection of eighteenth century art in the world. Lecture courses were looked upon as an essential part of art museums. These institutions were financed by the public •purse and also by private benefactors. The outback country was served by bookmobiles. The library at Washington was the national library of America and its stock of volumes ran into several millions. Mrs. Carr Rollett presided and Mrs. Allen rendered a very suitable recitation.